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In the News

I recently read an article ‘Coal’s high cost in China: 2.5 billion years of
life expectancy’, discussing the high costs of coal use in China. The title stating that the high cost is 2.5 billion
years of life expectancy. Wow! The article outlines the study that correlated
life expectancy data of the population in China to the high levels of air
pollution from coal powered heating. It found that for individuals living north
of the Haui River, where high levels of coal power energy are used, life
expectancy was 5.5 years lower than other areas in China! I knew that a key
driver of the Chinese emissions trading scheme was air pollution, but it really
highlights the potential for carbon reduction policies to have many flow on
benefits.

This made me think of the research that I am currently involved in at Net
Balance; investigating the potential of the Carbon Farming Initiative to deliver
additional social, environmental and economic benefits to just purely carbon
reduction (often referred to as co-benefits). China obviously sees a clear link
between their emissions trading scheme and the potential benefits in terms of
air pollution. A less obvious connection is the Chinese push to use their
emissions trading scheme as a mechanism for reducing poverty within the country.
This is through implementing a similar type of mechanism to the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM), from the Kyoto protocol, but within their own
country borders. The CDM established the mechanism that enables organisations in
developed nations to offset their carbon emissions using carbon reduction
projects in developing nations. Actors within China have also established the
Panda Standard, which is a voluntary carbon standard that is designed
specifically for China. The Panda Standard includes the poverty alleviation
criteria tool to assist carbon reduction project proponents to capture the
poverty benefits that their projects will create. What a great idea!

It is this type of idea that has been captured in the CDM and put into
practice through many carbon offset standards, such as the gold standard and
social carbon. It would be great to see the Carbon Farming Initiative used this
way also; to achieve social, environmental or even health benefits for regional
Australians. Maybe there are a few things we can learn from China and the
international co-benefit standards.